HomeMy WebLinkAbout011-S HarrisSTATE ETHICS COMMISSION
309 FINANCE BUILDING
PO. BOX 11470
HARRISBURG, PA 17108 -1470
TELEPHONE (717) 783 -1610
IN RE: EUGENE E. HARRIS : File Docket: 92 -026 -P
Date Decided: s 7une 23. 1992
Respondent : Date Mailed: June 22. 1992
Before: James M. Howley, Chair
Daneen E. Reese, Vice Chair
Dennis C. Harrington
Austin M. Lee
Allan M. Kluger
The State Ethics Commission received information regarding
possible violation(s) of Section 4 and /or Section 5 of the Public
Official and Employee Ethics Law ( "Ethics Law "), Act 9 of 1989, 65
P.S. 5401 et seq. Written Notice was mailed to Respondent in
accordance with Section (7)(5) of the Ethics Law, as to which there
was no response. A Notice and Order to Show Cause was issued and
served upon Respondent. An Answer was not filed and a hearing was
deemed waived. The record is complete. This adjudication of the
Commission is hereby issued, which sets forth Findings of Fact,
Discussion, Conclusions of Law and Order.
This Adjudication is final and is a public document.
Reconsideration may be requested. A request for reconsideration,
however, does not affect the finality of this adjudication. A
reconsideration request must be received at this Commission within
fifteen days of issuance and must include a detailed explanation of
the reasons as to why reconsideration should be granted in
conformity with 51 Pa. Code 52.38.
Eugene E. Harris
June 29, 1992
Page 2
I. FINDING :
1. Respondent Eugene E. Harris is an adult individual who resides
or maintains a mailing address at 108 Elena Court, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15201.
2. At all times relevant to these proceedings, Respondent has
been a Member of the Allegheny County Board of Assistance.
(a) Respondent specifically held the aforesaid position in
1991.
3. Respondent did not file a Statement of Financial Interests
with the State Ethics Commission and the Governor's Office of
Administration for calendar year 1990, on or before May 1, .
1991.
4. A Notice letter dated June 18, 1991 was served upon Respondent
by this Commission. The said Notice letter stated in detail
the specific allegations against Respondent concerning the
delinquency of Respondent's Statement of Financial Interests
for calendar year 1990 and the penalties for failure to file
or for filing a deficient Statement of Financial Interests.
The said Notice letter provided Respondent an opportunity to
avoid the institution of these civil penalty proceedings by
filing an accurate and complete Statement of Financial
Interests for calendar year 1990 within fourteen (14) days of
the date of the Notice letter.
5. Respondent did not file a Statement of Financial Interests
with the State Ethics Commission and the Governor's Office of
Administration for calendar year 1990 within fourteen days of
the date of the said Notice letter.
6. The public records of the State Ethics Commission indicate
that Respondent was previously served with Notice of the
delinquency of his Statement of Financial Interests for .
another calendar year, specifically . 1986, and was subsequently
named as a Respondent in a law suit filed by the Commission in
the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania against Respondent and
others who had failed to file their Statements of Financial
Interests for calendar year 1986. Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, State Ethics Commission v. Anderson, et al., No.
2374 C.D. 1988.
7. The public records of the State Ethics Commission . reflect that
Respondent has previously been served with Notices of the
delinquency of his Statements of Financial Interests for other
calendar years, including 1987 and 1988.
Eugene E. Harris
June 29, 1992
Page 3
II. DISCrJSSION:
Respondent has been a Member of the Allegheny County Board of
Assistance at all times relevant to these proceedings. Respondent
specifically held the aforesaid position in 1991.
As a Member of the Allegheny County Board of Assistance,
Respondent is a "public official" as that term is defined under the
Public Official and Employee Ethics Law ( "Ethics Law "), 65 P.S.
5401, et se.�. , and as such, Respondent is subject to the provisions
of the Ethics Law.
Pursuant to Sections 4 and 5 of the Ethics Law, Respondent was
required to file a Statement of Financial Interests providing
complete financial disclosure for calendar year 1990 with the State
Ethics Commission and the Governor's Office of Administration by
May 1, 1991. 65 P.S. 55404,405.
Section 9(f) of the Ethics Law provides as follows:
(f) In addition to any other civil remedy or
criminal penalty provided for in this act, the commission
may, after notice has been served in accordance with
section 7(5) and upon a majority vote of its members,
levy a civil penalty upon any person subject to this act
who fails to file a statement of financial interests in
a timely manner or who files a deficient statement of
financial interests, at a rate of not more than $25 for
each day such statement remains delinquent or deficient.
The maximum penalty payable under this paragraph is $250.
65 P.S. 5409(f).
An application of Section (f) to this case establishes that
this Commission has the discretion to levy a maximum civil penalty
against the Respondent for -the delinquent Statement of Financial
Interests for calendar year 1990.
Factually, Respondent failed to timely file a Statement of
Financial Interests for calendar year 1990 with the State Ethics
Commission and the Governor's Office of Administration, which
constitutes a failure to comply with Sections, 4 and 5 of the Ethics
Law.
Pursuant to Section 7(5) of the Ethics Law, a Notice letter
dated June 18, 1991 was issued to Respondent notifying Respondent
in detail of the specific allegations against Respondent concerning
the - delinquency of Respondent's Statement of Financial Interests
for calendar year 1990 and the penalties for failure to file or for
filing a deficient Statement of Financial Interests. The service
Eugene E. Harris
June 29, 1992
Page 4
of a Notice letter in accordance with Section 7(5) is a
o t i t Law. 65 levying 5409(f). civil This under Section
equisitehas been
of the Ethics
met in this case.
Furthermore, upon being notified of the above transgression,
Respondent did not remedy this failure to comply with the Ethics
Law although given fourteen days from the date of the Notice letter
in which to do so. This Commission then instituted formal
proceedings against Respondent by issuing an Order to Show Cause,
ordering Respondent to show cause why a civil penalty should not be
levied against Respondent. Respondent did not file an answer to
the Order to Show Cause. There is nothing of record which would
constitute a defense or excuse for Respondent's failure to comply
with the Ethics Law. Respondent has failed to show cause why a
civil penalty should not be levied against Respondent in this
matter.
We would further note that the public records of the State
Ethics Commission reflect that Respondent has previously been
served with Notices of the delinquency of his Statements of
Financial Interests for other calendar years. Additionally,
Respondent was named in a law suit filed by the Commission in the
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania against Respondent and others
who had failed to file their Statements of Financial Interests for
calendar year 1986. 202, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State
Ethics Commission v. Anderson, et al., No. 2374 C.D. 1988. It is
clear that as a Member of the Allegheny County Board of Assistance,
Respondent knows that he is a public official required to file
Statements of Financial Interests pursuant to Sections 4 and 5 of
the Ethics Law.
Based upon the totality of circumstances in this case, we
hereby levy one civil penalty against Respondent Eugene E. Harris
at the rate of $25.00 per day, for each day Respondent's Statement
of Financial Interests for calendar year 1990 has remained
delinquent. Given the number of days during which the Statement of
Financial Interests has remained delinquent, the resultant amount
to be levied against Respondent is $250.00.
Respondent shall be ordered to file a complete and accurate
Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 1990.
III. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:
1. At all times relevant to these proceedings, Respondent Eugene
E. Harris has been a Member of the Allegheny County Board of
Assistance and as such Respondent has at all times relevant to
these proceedings been a "public official" as that term is
defined in the Ethics Law.
Eugene E. Harris
June 29, 1992
Page 5
2. Pursuant to Section 4 of the Ethics Law, Respondent is
required to file the Statement of Financial Interests each
year Respondent holds the above position and the year after
leaving said position.
3 Respondent was required by the Ethics Law to file a Statement
of Financial Interests for calendar year 1990 with the State
Ethics Commission and the Governor's Office of Administration,
which Statement of Financial Interests was due no later than
May 1, 1991.
A. Respondent failed to comply with the requirements of Sections
4 and 5 of the Ethics Law when Respondent failed to timely
file a Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 1990
with the State Ethics Commission and the Governor's Office of
Administration.
5.. Notice of the delinquency of Respondent's Statement of
Financial Interests for calendar year 1990 was previously
served upon Respondent in accordance with Section 7(5) of the
Ethics Law, 65 P.S. S407(5).
6. Respondent failed to remedy the delinquency of Respondent's
Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 1990,
although Respondent was given fourteen (14) days from the date
of the aforesaid Notice letter in which to do so.
7. Based upon the totality of the circumstances in this case, one
civil penalty shall be assessed against Respondent for
Respondent's delinquent Statement of Financial Interests for
calendar year 1990, at a rate of $25.00 per day for each day
said Statement of Financial Interests has remained delinquent,
resulting in the total civil penalty of $250.00.
8. Respondent shall further be ordered to file an accurate and
complete Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year
1990 with the State Ethics Commission and the Governor's
Office of Administration, providing full financial disclosure
as required by the Ethics Law and signed under oath or
equivalent affirmation.
IN RE: EUGENE E. HARRIS
Respondent
File Docket: 92- 026 -P
Date Decided: Jine 23, ,1992
Date Mailed: Joie 29, 1992
ORDER NO. 011 -S
1. Eugene E. Harris, as a Member of the Allegheny County Board of
Assistance, failed to comply with Sections 4 and 5 of the
Ethics Law, 65 P.S. §S404, 405, by failing to timely file a
Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 1990 with
the State Ethics Commission and the Governor's Office of
Administration.
2. Based upon the circumstances of this case, this Commission
hereby levies one civil penalty against Respondent Eugene E.
Harris, at the rate of $25.00 per day for each day
Respondent's Statement of Financial Interests for calendar
year 1990 has remained delinquent, for the total civil penalty
of $250.00. Respondent is ordered to pay the above civil
penalty in the total amount of $250.00 within thirty days of
the issuance of this Order, by forwarding a check to this
Commission payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for
deposit in the State Treasury.
3. Respondent Eugene E. Harris is directed within 30 days of
issuance of this Order to file a complete and accurate
Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 1990 with
the State Ethics Commission and the Governor's Office of
Administration, providing full financial disclosure as
required by the Ethics Law.
4. Failure to comply with any provision of this Order will result
in the initiation of appropriate enforcement action.
BY THE COMMISSION,
James M. Howley, C